A Love Story in Malaya: British Couple Honoured 50 Years After Serving in Kinrara

When a tour of duty becomes a love story.

On 30 August 2007, on the eve of Malaysia's 50th Merdeka anniversary, 59 foreign veterans from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand returned to Kuala Lumpur not as soldiers, but as honoured guests.

Among them were Britons Antony and Eileen Gould — a couple who have fond memories of this country for a very personal reason: it is here that they met and fell in love.

Eileen was a nurse at the Kinrara Army Hospital while Antony served as a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Fifty years on, their service was finally recognised. Both received the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM), an award presented to foreign veterans in recognition of their sacrifices, gallantry and dedication while serving in Malaya during the Emergency and the Confrontation.

"I was stationed at the hospital for 18 months. Most of my patients were British soldiers and their wives, Gurkha soldiers and their wives and, of course, local soldiers," Eileen recalled.

The couple left Malaya in 1957, returned for a visit in 1990, and in 2007 they were back for a second time.

"Driving out of the airport, I saw so many new housing developments. It's amazing," said Eileen. She was astounded by Malaysia's development.

The awards were presented by then Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

In his speech, he thanked the veterans for their willingness to sacrifice their lives for the security and sovereignty of Malaysia:

"One of the reasons we have been able to accomplish the transformation and achieve peace and security is because men and women from countries like Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and other friendly nations not only stood side-by-side but fought with us.

We know it wasn't an easy task to be soldiers fighting in the Malaysian jungle. You faced worthy adversaries, but we had the wisdom to put things together in the right manner.

You were willing to fight alongside our soldiers and bear with mosquitoes and leeches. Only one country on record was successful in defeating the communists, and that was Malaya."

For the first time that year, some 200 former soldiers from the three countries were also invited to march in the Merdeka parade on 31 August.

National Malaya Borneo Veteran Association patron Gen Sir Garry Johnson, who was also present, said the soldiers treasured the time they served in Malaya and had watched with great admiration as Malaysia prospered after independence.

Photo caption: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak helping veteran Margaret Linford, 69, to her feet during the presentation of awards to foreign veterans in Shangri-La Hotel — NST picture by M. Rosli Ishak

Source: New Straits Times, 31 August 2007, By Shamini Darshni

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23 September 2026: 6:25 p.m.